Neonnyt wrote:
But it is the users choice to use anti virus if they want.
Virtual private network (VPN) security - Apple Support
It is a safe system so it doesn’t harm anyone but you can have an opinion.
I also agree with both of you but if the user want a VPN then I am here to try to help!
Antivirus on an iPhone has 4 purposes:
- Take money from the user for something that is totally worthless
- Slow down your phone
- Drain your battery faster
- Collect how you use your phone and send it to the antivirus provider, who can then sell it to other businesses
So yes, if the user wants to make the provider rich and doesn’t mind the violation of their privacy and can live with a slower device and with charging more frequently then they should install an antivirus.
And if a user wants to further compromise their security and slow down their phone even more they should install VPN also - VPN cuts communications speed to 25% of the available bandwidth, again, for absolutely no benefit.
Here's Apple's advice on VPN→
Check VPN (Virtual Private Network) and third-party software to help resolve network connectivity issues - Apple Support
Something to think about→Don't use VPN - GITHUB
There are two legitimate purposes for using VPN:
- To allow access to a private network such as a school or business when you are not on site.
- To allow access outside of a country with a repressive government that has restricted Internet access. (This has suddenly become more important)
Any other use is risky, and can lead to problems like the one discussed in this thread. VPN disguises your location by making you appear to be somewhere else in the world. But you usually can’t control that “somewhere else”, and if it is in a location that an app isn’t approved for the app won’t work. Plus the fact that the provider of the VPN knows everything about you and your location, as well as what sites you access through the VPN. So you are totally dependent on the VPN provider’s honesty. As a start, if the VPN is free, DON’T USE IT. The provider has to make money somehow, and if you aren’t paying them then they are selling your private data to make money. But even those that charge can’t necessarily be trusted. For example, a few years ago Avast was caught selling user browsing data. They claim they have stopped doing so.
You don’t really need VPN when using public Wi-Fi, because all communications between your device and the servers it accesses are end-to-end encrypted.
If you want VPN for privacy about the sites you visit, that’s not a good choice as discussed; instead you should download and use the TOR browser.
The other use for VPN is to “steal” content that is not available in your area. I leave this question to your personal ethics.
With iOS 15.2 and later for iOS/iPadOS and MacOS Monterey 12.2 and later Apple now has iCloud+ Private Relay, which is not VPN, but provides a safer browsing environment than VPN, and it doesn't spy on you→About iCloud Private Relay - Apple Support
